digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
d. Difficulty in Keeping Up with the Discussion
In the data obtained, eleven participants 26.2 of this study would continue contributing even they felt inconvenient to involve in the
discussion, while eight learners 19 would stop their contribution if they were difficult to trace the thread of discussion. In addition, the total of
eleven learners 26.2 would stop contributing if there were lots of ideas conveyed in a single message, and fourteen learners 33.3 would stop
contributing if there were too many posts to read. Here is the table of data:
Table 4.4 Difficulty in Keeping Up with the Discussion
No. Items
Disagree Neutral Agree
12. Will continue contributing even
feel inconvenient to involve in the discussion.
16.7 R=7
57.1 R=24
26.2 R=11
19. Stop contributing as difficult to trace the thread of discussion.
14.3 R=6
66.7 R=28
19 R=8
20. Stop contributing if there are a
lot of ideas conveyed in a single message.
14.3 R=6
59.5 R=25
26.2 R=11
23. Stop contributing if there are too many messages to read.
31 R=13
35.7 R=15
33.3 R=14
e. Not Knowing What to Contribute Lack of Worthwhile Comments to Contribute
There are amount of 35.7 or fifteen learners in this study agreed with the item “Stop contributing if the message to be sent out is a
repetition”, and eighteen learners 42.9 agreed with the item which says that they will stop contributing if they are lack of ideas. However,
only seven participants 16.7 who were not familiar in using OD. The table below presents the data:
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
Table 4.5 Not Knowing What to Contribute Lack of Worthwhile
Comments to Contribute
No. Items
Disagree Neutral Agree
22. Stop contributing if the message to be sent out is a repetition.
26.2 R=11
38.1 R=16
35.7 R=15
24. Stop contributing if lack of idea. 33.3
R=14 23.8
R=10 42.9
R=18 35. Not familiar in using the forum
to share ideas 42.9
R=18 40.5
R=17 16.7
R=7
f. Exhibiting Surface-LevelLower Order Critical Thinking
A number of fifteen learners 35.7 in this study would continue contributing even if the discussion was difficult. Besides, the researcher
found that only four participants 9.5 would not contribute OD if they received doubtful feedback, and there were eighteen learners 42.9 who
continued contributing even others often made conclusions about a topic without further explanation. The table 4.6 below is the results:
Table 4.6 Exhibiting Surface-LevelLower Order Critical Thinking
No. Items
Disagree Neutral Agree
15. Will continue contributing even if the discussion is difficult.
19 R=8
45.2 R=19
35.7 R=15
38. Not contributing since getting dubious feedback.
28.6 R=12
61.9 R=26
9.5 R=4
40. Will continue contributing even
others often make conclusions about something without further
explanation. 14.3
R=6 42.9
R=18 42.9
R=18
g. Displaying Low-Level Knowledge Construction
A small number of participants, eight learners 19 , agreed with the statement which said that they would stop contributing since there were
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
rude comments in the forum. In addition, eleven learners 26.2 also agreed that they would stop contributing as not aware of the objective of
the discussion. Next, thirteen learners 31 in this study felt shy to question their peers‟ ideas, and eleven participants 26.2 felt lazy to
argue resulting in constant agreement and not developing the discussion. Here is the table of the data:
Table 4.7 Displaying Low-Level Knowledge Construction
No. Items
Disagree Neutral Agree
7. Stop contributing since there are rude comments in the forum.
40.5 R=17
40.5 R=17
19 R=8
25. Stop contributing as not aware
of the objective of the discussion.
26.2 R=11
47.6 R=20
26.2 R=11
26. Always feel hesitantshy to question others idea.
40.5 R=17
28.6 R=12
31 R=13
27. Feel lazy to argue resulting in
constant agreement and not developing the discussion.
28.6 R=12
45.2 R=19
26.2 R=11
h. Technical Aspects
There are a number of nineteen learners 45.2 who agreed with the statement
“Continue contributing even find is a complicated way of
sharing ideas”. However, in the item “Stop contributing as lack of time to correct the errors in the message sent”, there were only eight participants
19 who agreed with it, and a total of seventeen learners 40.5 agreed with the item “Stop contributing as having trouble accessing the
forumsInternet”. In addition, the researcher also found that 19 of participants, or eight learners, agreed with the statement “Stop contributing
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
as having problems to remove the erroneous sent messages”. The table 4.8 below is the obtained data:
Table 4.8 Technical Aspects
No. Items
Disagree Neutral Agree
11. Continue contributing even find
is a complicated way of sharing ideas.
11.9 R=5
42.9 R=18
45.2 R=19
29. Stop contributing as lack of time
to correct the errors in the message sent.
42.9 R=18
38.1 R=16
19 R=8
36. Stop contributing as having
trouble accessing the forumsInternet.
16.7 R=7
42.9 R=18
40.5 R=17
39. Stop contributing as having
problems to remove the erroneous sent messages.
26.2 R=11
54.8 R=23
19 R=8
i. Lack of Time
Regarding this challenge, the two items have different numbers of participants who agreed with. In the item “Stop contributing if there is a
lack of time to reply send a message”, only ten learners 23.8 agreed with this. On the contrary, a half of participants in this study, that was
twenty learners, agreed that not enough of time to read all posts in each discussion was their challenge. Here are the results:
Table 4.9 Lack of Time
No. Items
Disagree Neutral Agree
30. Stop contributing if there is a
lack of time to reply send a message.
35.7 R=15
40.5 R=17
23.8 R=10
34. Not enough of time to read all the messages in each discussion.
21.4 R=9
28.6 R=12
50 R=21
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
j. Risk of Being Misunderstood
For this challenge, only a small numbers of participants who agreed with the items included; that were five learners 11.9 for the item “No
closer relationships with classmates cause feel shy to question object to them” and six learners 14.3 for the item “Not taking part in the forum
as worry misinterpreted by others”. This is the data:
Table 4.10 Risk of Being Misunderstood
No. Items
Disagree Neutral Agree
28. No closer relationships with
classmates cause feel shy to question object to them.
57.1 R=24
31 R=13
11.9 R=5
31. Not taking part in the forum as worry misinterpreted by others.
42.9 R=18
42.9 R=18
14.3 R=6
k. During Participating Online Asynchronous Discussion OAD on CALL 2, What Challenges Did You Encounter?
This is an open-ended question which included in the second questionnaire. This was asked by the researcher to clarify what exactly the
learners‟ challenges during participating online asynchronous discussion. By the existence of this question, the researcher found nine major
categories: 1 internet problem; 2 full online learning; 3 being active; 4 misunderstanding the topic or instruction; 5 quality of the discussion; 6
difficulty in keeping up the discussion; 7 lack of ideas; 8 time management; and 9 being creative and critical. From the table below, we
can see their responses:
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
For internet connection, there were twenty five learners 59.5 who claimed this was their challenge. Next, full online learning in which
the learners cannot meet lecturer or friends as in the traditional class, led three participants 7.1 felt this was their challenge. Moreover, for those
who are introverted learners, they tend to be shy being active in online discussion. From the participants‟ responses, there were three learners
7.1 who said that they were shy to participate. Besides, the discussed topic or instruction becomes challenge for six participants 14.3 since
they could not understand a high level difficulty of the topic being discussed and lecturer‟s instruction. Due to the participants of online
discussion cannot understand well the topic; it brings a new challenge that is the quality of the students‟ postings. This claimed by the other six
participants 14.3 in responding to this questionnaire. Next, difficult to keep up peers‟ postings in online discussion also
becomes challenge for two participants 4.8. The more postings come, and participants do not open the tool of online discussion, the more other
participants will lack of idea to share since their peers post their ideas early. This was also a challenge for a learner 2.4. Therefore, it can be
stated that time management is important for the learners. The existence of “due date” seems being a challenge for six participants 14.3 because of
their lack of ability in managing time. In addition, being creative and critical is also a challenge for those who have low level critical thinking.
This challenge was encountered by a learner 2.4. From those
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
explanations, it can be concluded that from those nine categories found by the researcher, the most encountered challenge by the respondents is
internet connection.
2. Learners’ Efforts to Overcome Their Challenges in Participating in Online Asynchronous Discussion during CALL 2 Course
To answer the second question of the study, that is “How do the learners overcome their challenges in participating in online
asynchronous discussion during CALL 2 course?”, the researcher used open-ended questionnaire, in which it distributed in the same day with
close-ended questionnaire and answered by 42 participants. The following explanations are the results:
a. Not seeing the need for online discussion Online discussion is not important. My efforts strategies to overcome:
In this statement, there were three respondents which explicitly said that this item was not their challenge. For the other respondents who
claimed that this was a challenge, the researcher found various efforts came up from the learners‟ responses: three learners said that „not
contributing‟, two learners said that „engaging themselves by learning more‟, fourteen learners said that they tried contributing, and eighteen
learners tried positive thinking. The table below is the participants‟ responses:
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
b. I tend to feel excluded, isolated, being outsider, and discouraged to participate when the lecturer and my classmates did not pay
attention to my postings, dominated discussion, or there are rude comments. My efforts strategies to overcome:
This item was filled by the participants with a variety of responses, and six of those forty two obviously said that this was not their challenge.
Besides, the researcher found that in this item, eighteen participants did efforts to think positively. In addition, other answers which appeared in
four responses for this item was asking-giving comments with peers, and a total of twelve learners said that their effort was making good quality
posting. However, while others tried to overcome their challenges, there were two learners who said that they did not do anything.
c. I do not participate because I am a withdrawn, selfish, uncooperative, and conventional person. My efforts strategies to
overcome:
In this item, nine learners said that they never thought about this, in which it meant that this was not their challenge. Whereas the other
students had various responses, for instance: thirty one learners tried to always participate or motivating themselves, and two learners found
external motivation from peers and sources.
d. Difficulty in Keeping Up with the Discussion. My efforts strategies to overcome:
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
In this item, the researcher found the only participant who said that this was not his or her challenge. In addition, there were fourteen learners
responded their peers‟ postings only by seeing, reading and commenting the newest, the most interesting, and the most related with their postings.
Besides, the other twenty two responses were about the learners who tried to open the forum regularly so that could read all from the first contributor,
while only two learners said that they skimmed the postings.
e. Not Knowing What to Contribute Lack of Worthwhile Comments to Contribute. My efforts strategies to overcome:
In this item, the researcher found four strategies which usually applied by the participants; such as only asking friends or commenting without
posting, which said by seven learners. The next effort was reading or studying references before posting, which said by twenty three learners;
reading peers‟ comments to build ideas with eight participants responded about this; and three learners who said that they tried to contribute as they
could.
f. I rarely contribute because my critical thinking is low. My efforts strategies to overcome:
Based on the participants‟ responses in this item, the researcher categorized into four major groups, they were: reading references said by
eighteen respondents, trying as they could said by eighteen learners, reading others‟ postings or giving agree-disagree comments without
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
contributing said by four learners, and eight learners said that they asked friends to help.
g. Showing Low-Level Knowledge Construction. My efforts strategies to overcome:
In this item, the researcher categorized learners‟ responses being five categories: 1 not challenging, 2 not participating, 3 reading references,
4 only trying to participate or only responding more postings, and 5 asking friends. First, there were four respondents who said that this item
was not their challenge. On the contrary, three learners perceived that this item was their challenge, in which their effort to overcome was not
participating. Besides, there were twenty one participants who overcame this challenge by reading resources to increase their level knowledge. Just
trying to participate or responding more posting were also participants‟ efforts, in which it said by eight learners. In addition, the last category
„asking peers to help overcoming this challenge‟ was said by seven learners.
h. Technical Aspects, such Internet Connection or the Used Application of the Lecturer. My efforts strategies to overcome:
In responding this question, there were six participants who said that they never encountered technical problems during participating online
discussion. The other three learners overcame this challenge by trying more. Besides, a small number of participants, those were two learners,
overcoming by reading sources, or watching tutorial of the application
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
used. While eight learners said that they asked lecturer or peers to help them, the other twenty four learners tried to go finding places with paid or
free internet connection. However, there was a learner who chose not participating.
i. Lack of Time. My efforts strategies to overcome:
In this item, the researcher found that there were two learners who said that this was not their challenge. While the others, there were some
major answers from the participants to overcome this challenge. There were two learners asked friends, three learners constructed ideas concisely,
a learner did not participate, and thirty four learners managed their time.
j. Risk of being misunderstood because cannot see others’ expression. My efforts strategies to overcome:
From the participants‟ responses, the researcher found that there were fourteen learners who said that this was not their challenge by responding
“just be confident”. However, for the other learners who claimed that it was their challenge, they had some attempts to overcome: eleven learners
said that asking-giving clarification, three learners said that re-reading our writing before posting, four learners asked friend to give comments, and
eleven learners followed netiquette rules.
B. Discussion
In this section, the researcher will discuss those findings by reflecting on several theories and draw information based on research questions of
this study. It will discuss about learners‟ challenges and their efforts to
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
overcome their challenges in participating in online asynchronous discussion during CALL 2 course.
1. Learners’ Challenges in Participating in Online Asynchronous Discussion during CALL 2 Course
a. Not Seeing the Need for Online Discussion
Based on the finding, the greatest reason perceived by the learners why they could not see the need for online discussion was less interesting
topic, in which it had 19 of 42 respondents. For the next item, a total of 18 respondents agreed that they contributed in OAD were only to receive
grade. These will limit their participation in OAD, as Murphy‟s and Coleman‟s finding that who do not have the necessity to contribute online
asynchronous discussion, or those who contribute only to meet the course requirements, their participation will be limited; indeed, they will post
badly.
1
In line with this, Hew and Cheung find that unattractive topic may lead the learners cease contributing. However, Hew and Cheung find that
when the learners are not awarded, they will frustrate to find the reason of participating online discussion.
2
For the last item, seventeen participants disagreed that they stop contributing if the discussion was further
implemented in lecture, while only six respondents agreed with. This finding is not equal to Durairaj‟s and Umar‟s, who find that 8 of 18 their
1
Murphy and Coleman, “Graduate Students‟ Experiences of Challenges in Online Asynchronous Discussions.”
2
Hew and Cheung, Student Participation in Online Discussions, 17.
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
participants agree, while other eight participants disagree with this item.
3
These mean that the lecturer needs to motivate and attract the learners with more interesting topics which are benefit for their daily life, in which it can
be further implemented in lecture.
b. Behavior or Practice of Instructor or Participants
In the finding, many learners were unwilling to participate in online discussion since they did not receive well-behavior from the lecturer and
peers, such as: most of learners agreed if their postings or comments did not receive feedback, and there were rude and embarrassing comments.
This is in relation to Hew and Cheung‟s finding that the learners will cease contributing if the lecturer or other participants do not respond their ideas,
there were participants who dominated, and there were ones who threatened others.
4
However, the existence of peers who dominated the discussion or asked a lot of questions seemed not to be a great challenge
since only 6 of 42 respondents. This is contrast with Murphy and Coleman who say that domination by individuals may lead others frustrate.
5
From these findings, it can be interpreted that the role of lecturer and peers will
affect learners to participate in the discussion.
c. Personality Traits
3
Durairaj and Umar, “The Motivating and Limiting Factors of Learners‟ Engagement in an Online Discussion Forum.”
4
Hew and Cheung, Student Participation in Online Discussions, 17.
5
Murphy and Coleman, “Graduate Students‟ Experiences of Challenges in Online Asynchronous Discussions.”
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
According to Hew and Cheung, human characteristics will also affect their participation.
6
This has been proven in this study that the learners would stop contributing if their questions were not answered by others;
peers were selfish and incorporate; and there were not related postings sent. They can be proven since most of respondents agreed with those
items. Furthermore, this is in line with Chen and Caropreso findings that those who are included in low-profile group withdrawn, selfish,
uncooperative, and conventional generally discourage to post or reply postings.
7
. However, the researcher also found that most of them disagreed if they stopped contributing because of not obtaining new knowledge and
if message was sent in one way communication.
d. Difficulty in Keeping Up with the Discussion
According to Hew and Cheung, the learners will frustrate to contribute OAD if there were single postings with more than one idea in it, and there
are a lot of postings to read.
8
These are in relation to the finding of the recent study. The researcher found that 14 of 42 participants would stop
contributing OAD if there were many postings to read, but 13 participants disagree with it, and the others were neutral. Besides, there were a lot of
ideas conveyed in a single posting which made 11 of 42 claimed that this was their challenge, while six others disagreed and twenty five learners felt
neutral. Those two challenges would also bring other reasons to limit
6
Hew and Cheung, Student Participation in Online Discussions, 18.
7
Chen and Caropreso, “Influence of Personality on Online Discussion - Journal of Interactive Online Learning.”
8
Hew and Cheung, Student Participation in Online Discussions, 19.
digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id digilib.uinsby.ac.id
participation. They were continuing contributing even felt inconvenient with 11 of 42 participants agreed, seven disagreed and twenty four felt
neutral and difficult to trace the thread of discussion with eight learners agreed, six disagreed, and 28 felt neutral. It means that this finding has
proven empirical study conducted Hew and Cheung if one of OAD challenges is difficult to keep up the discussion.
e. Not Knowing What to Contribute Lack of Worthwhile Comments to Contribute
According to the finding, fifteen learners would stop contributing since there were postings with the same meaning, while eleven learners
disagreed with. In addition, there were eighteen participants agreed that lack of ideas could limit their participation, but fourteen learners disagreed
with this. These are equal to Arend‟s finding that repetition postings and lack of ideas will cease their contribution.
9
However, a total of eighteen learners disagreed that they limited their contribution since they were not
familiar in using forum. This is in line with Durairaj and Umar that 88.9 their research participants disagreed with the item. These explanations
mean that before participating OAD, participants have to find a gap from others‟ postings in order to present different ideas.
f. Exhibiting Surface-LevelLower Order Critical Thinking
In this study, the researcher found that 15 of 42 participants agreed that they would continue contributing even the topic was difficult, while
9
Arend, “Encouraging Critical Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions.”
